Rotor blender

ABSTRACT

A DOUBLE-BLADE CUTTING AND BLENDING ROTOR CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF AXIALLY-SPACED SYMMETRICALLY OPPOSITELY DESIGNED CIRCULAR BLADES HAVING IMPELLER CUPS AND VERTICAL OR INCLINED PERIPHERAL MATERIAL-CUTTING TEETH. THE OPPOSING SYMMETRICAL ARRANGEMENT IS SUCH AS TO PUSH LIQUID AND SOLID MATERIAL CARRIED THEREIN FROM ABOUT AND BELOW INTO   THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BLADES, FROM WHENCE THE LIQUID AND MATERIAL TRAVELS OUTWARDLY AND IS SUBJECTED TO CUTTING ACTION BY THE VERTICAL OR INCLINED OUTWARDLY-PROJECTING CUTTING TEETH.

United States Patent A double-blade cutting and blending rotor consisting of a pair of axially-spaced symmetrically oppositelydesigned circular blades having impeller cups and vertical or inclined peripheral material-cutting teeth. The opposing symmetrical arrangement is such as to push liquid and solid material carried therein from above and below into the space between the blades, from whence the liquid and material travels outwardly and is subjected to cutting action by the vertical or inclined outwardly-projecting cutting teeth.

This invention relates to a material-blending device, and more particularly to an improved rotor assembly of the type employing circular cutting blades.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved cutting and blending rotor assembly which is relatively simple in construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which provides a highly efficient material-blending and cutting action.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved material-blending rotor assembly which is durable in construction, and which effectively blends liquids and materials carried therein, or liquids of different specific gravities, whereby to provide a uniform product.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved rotor assembly which is especially adapted for blending dilferent liquids, or liquid-containing solid material, the rotor assembly employing a novel mixing principle which includes impeller action driving the material into the space between an adjacent pair of blades and thereafter causing the liquid to be urged outwardly and to be exposed to a cutting action as well as to a mixing and diffusion efiect.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken through the spindle of; an improved blending rotor assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rotor assembly of FIG. 1.

BIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken through a modified form of rotor assembly according to the present invention, said view taken substantially in a radial plane of the assembly.

Referring to the drawing, 11 generally designates an improved material-blending rotor assembly according to the present invention. The assembly 11 comprises a spindle 12 having mounted thereon a pair of symmetrically oppositely-structured, generally circular discs or blades 13 and 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the circular blades 13 and 13' are spaced apart vertically by a short distance defining an interior space 14 therebetween.

The generally disc-shaped blade 13 is provided with radial slits 16 arranged circumferentially on the disc at evenly-spaced intervals, for example, at 60-degree intervals, as shown in FIG. 1, with the slits located at common radial distances from the spindle 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the respective disc-shaped blades 13 and 13' are provided with the central hub portions 15 and 15' which receive the spindle 12 therethrough and which are locked to the spindle in any suitable manner, for example, by means of radial locking screws 17 engaged through the hubs and clampingly-abutting spindle 12, as shown in FIG. 3. Since the disc-shaped blades 13 and 13 are symmetrically-opposed, the hub element 1 5 of disc 13 projects upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 2, whereas the hub element 15' projects downwardly.

The portions of the disc-shaped blade 13 on one side of the slits 16 are pressed upwardly to define hoods 18, forming openings 20 through the disc, in cooperation with pressed-down portions 22 on the opposite sides of the slits 16. The pressed-down portions 22 serve as deflectors acting to cooperate in the agitation of material being blended, tending to depress the material adjacent thereto in advance thereof passing through the opening 20 in advance thereof, as will be presently described. Thus, the rotation of the discs 13 and 13', as viewed in FIG. 1, is in a clockwise direction.

As will be seen from FIG. 2, the transmission passages defined by the cooperating opposing elements 18 and 22 located on opposite sides of the slits 16 are inclined downwardly and to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2-, wherein the dotted arrow 30 illustrates the effective direction of material passing through the channel defined by said opposed elements 18 and 22' at one slit 16.

The lower disc-shaped blade 13 is formed in the same manner as the upper disc-shaped blade 13, except that it is symmetrically-opposed thereto. Thus, the cup elements 18' of the lower disc-shaped blade 13' are in vertical alignment with the cup elements 18 of the upper blade 13, but project oppositely thereto. Similarly, the deflector elements .22 of the upper blade 13- and 22 of the lower blade 13' are in vertical alignment, but project toward each other, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the channels defined between the elements 22 and 18' of the lower blade 13' are directed upwardly and inwardly, as shown by the dotted arrow 30' namely, toward the space 14'. As previously-mentioned, the dotted arrow 30 representing the direction of liquid through the channels defined by the elements 18 and 22 of the upper blade 13 is directed downwardly and inwardly toward the space 14, as will be apparent from FIG. 2.

The upper blade 13 is formed at its periphery with integral alternating upwardly and downwardly-projecting rectangular teeth 31 and .32, the teeth 31 projecting upwardly perpendicular to the plane of the blade 13, and the rectangular teeth 32 projecting downwardly perpendicular to said plane, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Similarly, the lower blade 13' is formed with the alternating upwardly and downwardly-projecting rectangular teeth 32' and 31', the teeth 32' projecting vertically upwardly perpendicular to the plane of blade 13 and the teeth 31 projecting vertically downwardly perpendicular to said plane. The teeth 32' are in longitudinal alignment with the depending teeth 32 of the upper blade 13, and similarly, the depending teeth 31' are in longitudinal alignment with the upwardly-projecting teeth 31 of upper blade 13. Thus, the lower blade 13' is shown to be symmetrically-opposite in construction to the upper blade 13.

In operation, the material to be blended receives the assembly 11, for example, the assembly 11 is lowered into a container containing said material, and the spindle 12 is rotated, for example, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. The material, therefore, passes through the upper openings 20 of the upper blade 13 and simultaneously through the lower openings, shown at 20', defined between the elements 22' and 18' of lower blade 13'. The material is directed into the intervening space 14 substantially in the directions indicated by the dotted arrows 30 and 30' in FIG. 2. This material is forced outwardly through the opposing rectangular teeth 32 and 32', the material being acted on by these teeth, since the teeth are rotating with substantial peripheral velocity. The impact of the teeth on the flowing material serves to break up particles therein and also serves to provide a very effective agitation of the material, promoting blending action thereof. The material is forced outwardly from the space 14, and circulates around the peripheries of the blades 13 and 13' in typical paths indicated by the respective dotted paths 35 and 35 in FIG. 2, being drawn back into the top and bottom passages 20 and 20 of the assembly by suction induced by the rapid flow of the material through said passages. In traveling along the paths 35 and 35, the material is again subjected to the impacts and agitations produced by the upwardly and downwardly-projecting teeth 31 and 31', promoting further thorough blending of the material. Thus, the teeth 32, 32 and 31, 31' provide a cutting action, as well as a pure agitation of the material, or in the case of blending liquids together, provide a more intimate blending efiect than would be obtained merely by the circulation of the materials being blended.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein the peripheral teeth of the respective disc-shaped blades, designated respectively at 113 and 113, project divergently-outwardly from the peripheries of the blades instead of projecting perpendicularly thereto, as in the previously-described form of the invention. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the rectangular teeth 131 and 132 of the upper blade 113 project outwardly and divergently away from the plane of blade 113. Similarly, the alternating rectangular peripheral teeth 132 and 131 of the lower blade 113 project divergently-outwardly from the plane of the blade 113 and are symmetrically-opposed to the divergently-outwardly-projecting teeth 131 and 132 of the upper blade 113. The blending action of the modified structure shown in FIG. 4 is generally similar to that of the previously-described form. of the invention, except that the circulating flow paths of the material are more elongated in a horizontal plane, as viewed in FIG. 4, namely, the material is diffused outwardly from; the peripheries of the blades 113 and 113 in a more marked manner than in the case of the modification shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. It will be readily apparent that the angular inclinations of the teeth 131, 132' and 131', 132' relative to the planes of their associated blades may be varied over a wide range, in accordance with the type of material to be blended, the shape of the container in which the assembly is employed, or other physical factors associated with the desired blending operation.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved material-blending rotor device have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A material-blending device comprising a spindle adapted to rotate about its longitudinal axis and a rotor assembly carried by the spindle to rotate therewith, said rotor assembly comprising a disc having circumferentially-spaced openings extending therethrough, material-deflecting hoods integrally carried by the disc projecting upwardly therefrom and extending across the openings for directing material down through the openings from the upper side of the disc to the lower, deflectors integrally carried by said disc and extending downwardly from the side thereof remote from the hoods in advance of the openings, circumferentially spaced teeth integrally formed on the periphery of the disc projecting alternately above and below said disc at substantial angles to the plane of the disc, a second disc mounted on said spindle below said first disc and having circumferentially spaced openings extending therethrough, material-deflecting hoods integrally carried by said second disc projecting downwardly therefrom and extending across the openings for directing material up through the openings from the lower side of said second disc to the upper, deflectors integrally carried by said second disc and extending upwardly from the side thereof remote from said hoods on said second disc in advance of the openings, circumferentially spaced teeth integrally formed on the periphery of said second disc projecting alternately above and below said second disc at substantial angles to the plane of said second disc, said rotor assembly being adapted to move material from above and below said discs to the space between said discs and then radially outwardly through said teeth which project downwardly from said upper disc and upwardly from said lower disc.

2. The material-blending device of claim 1 and wherein the teeth are substantially rectangular in shape.

3. The material-blending device of claim 1, and Wherein the hoods of the two discs are substantially in longitudinal alignment.

4. The material-blending device of claim 3, and wherein the teeth of the respective discs are substantially longitudinally-aligned and alternately-project toward and away from the space between the discs.

5. The material-blending device of claim 4, and wherein the teeth are substantially rectangular, with successive pairs of opposing teeth of the two discs alternatelyprojecting toward and away from each other.

6-. The material-blending device of claim 5, and wherein the teeth project substantially perpendicularly to the planes of the discs.

7. The material-blending device of claim 5, and wherein the teeth are inclined to the planes of the discs and project divergently-outwardly from the peripheries of the discs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,616,817 2/1927 Maxwell 416-199X 1,655,447 1/1928 Wait 416-481 2,692,127 10/1954 Conn. 4l6181 2,918,264 12/1959 Ackles 416-237X 3,030,083 4/ 1962 Stifiler 416199 3,215,409 11/ 1965 Porciello 416181X 3,402,897 9/ 1968 Willems 41623 1X 3,462,131 8/1969 Hill 416-198X 3,376,024 4/1968 Beechler et al. 416-183 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,297,805 5/1962 France 416-183 1,482,898 4/ 1967 France 416183 1,186,031 1/1965 Germany 416-183 EVERETIE A. POWELL, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. c1. X.R. 416199, 227 

